bushes. When Walt Irvine went down to inspect the intruder, he was snarled at for his pains, and Madge likewise was snarled at when she went down to present, as a peace-offering, a large pan of bread and milk.
A most unsociable dog he proved to be (он оказался очень необщительным псом; to prove — доказывать; оказываться), resenting all their advances (отвергающим все их попытки завязать более тесные отношения; to resent — негодовать, возмущаться; обижаться; advance — сближение /с кем-либо; попытка завязать более тесные отношения/), refusing to let them lay hands on him (отказывающимся позволять им касаться его), menacing them with bared fangs and bristling hair (угрожая им обнаженными клыками и вздыбленной шерстью). Nevertheless he remained (тем не менее он остался), sleeping and resting by the spring (спал и отдыхал у родника), and eating the food they gave him (и ел еду, которую они давали ему) after they set it down at a safe distance and retreated (после того как они ставили ее на безопасном расстоянии и уходили). His wretched physical condition explained why he lingered (его плачевное физическое состояние объясняло, почему он медлил = причину его промедления); and when he had recuperated (а когда он поправился), after several days' sojourn (после нескольких дней пребывания), he disappeared (он исчез).
A most unsociable dog he proved to be, resenting all their advances, refusing to let them lay hands on him, menacing them with bared fangs and bristling hair. Nevertheless he remained, sleeping and resting by the spring, and eating the food they gave him after they set it down at a safe distance and retreated. His wretched physical condition explained why he lingered; and when he had recuperated, after several days' sojourn, he disappeared.
And this would have been the end of him (и это было бы развязкой /истории/ о нем; end — конец; развязка), so far as Irvine and his wife were concerned (насколько это касалось Ирвина и его жены), had not Irvine at that particular time been called away into the northern part of the state (если бы Ирвина в это конкретное время = как раз в это время не отозвали в северную часть штата). Riding along on the train (когда он ехал в поезде), near to the line between California and Oregon (возле границы между Калифорнией и Орегоном), he chanced to look out of the window (он случайно выглянул в окошко; to chance — происходить, случаться) and saw his unsociable guest sliding along the wagon road (и увидел своего нелюдимого гостя, плавно скользящего вдоль железнодорожных путей), brown and wolfish (бурого и похожего на волка), tired yet tireless (усталого и все же неутомимого), dust-covered and soiled with two hundred miles of travel (покрытого пылью и грязного от двухсот миль пути).
And this would have been the end of him, so far as Irvine and his wife were concerned, had not Irvine at that particular time been called away into the northern part of the state. Riding along on the train, near to the line between California and Oregon, he chanced to look out of the window and saw his unsociable guest sliding along the wagon road, brown and wolfish, tired yet tireless, dust-covered and soiled with two hundred miles of travel.
Now Irvine was a man of impulse, a poet (но Ирвин был импульсивным человеком, поэтом; now — сейчас; тогда; так вот). He got off the train at the next station (он сошел с поезда на следующей станции; to get off — сойти, слезть), bought a piece of meat at a butcher shop (купил кусок мяса в мясной лавке; to buy — купить), and captured the vagrant on the outskirts of the town (и захватил бродягу на окраине города; to capture — захватывать силой; брать в плен). The return trip was made in the baggage car (поездка обратно была совершена в багажном вагоне), and so Wolf came a second time to the mountain cottage (и так Волк во второй раз попал в коттедж в горах). Here he was tied up for a week (здесь его привязали на неделю) and made love to by the man and woman (и мужчина и женщина ухаживали за ним; to make love to — ухаживать /за любимой женщиной/). But it was very circumspect love-making (но это было очень осмотрительное ухаживание). Remote and alien as a traveller from another planet (далекий и чужой, как путешественник с другой планеты), he snarled down their soft-spoken love-words (он рычал на их нежно произносимые слова любви). He never barked (он никогда не лаял). In all the time they had him he was never known to bark (за все время, что он был у них, никогда не слышали, чтобы он лаял; to know — знать, иметь представление).
Now Irvine was a man of impulse, a poet. He got off the train at the next station, bought a piece of meat at a butcher shop, and captured the vagrant on the outskirts of the town. The return trip was made in the baggage car, and so Wolf came a second time to the mountain cottage. Here he was tied up for a week and made love to by the man and woman. But it was very circumspect love-making. Remote and alien as a traveller from another planet, he snarled down their soft-spoken love-words. He never barked. In all the time they had him he was never known to bark.
To win him became a problem (завоевать его /расположение/ стало трудной задачей; problem — проблема, задача; сложная ситуация, трудный случай; трудность, затруднение). Irvine liked problems (Ирвин любил трудности). He had a metal plate made (он заказал металлическую пластинку; to have smth. + причастие прошедшего времени — попросить сделать что-либо), on which was stamped (на которой было выбито; to stamp — штамповать, штемпелевать; клеймить, чеканить, отпечатывать): RETURN TO WALT IRVINE, GLEN ELLEN, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA (верните Уолту Ирвину, долина Эллен, округ Сонома, Калифорния). This was riveted to a collar and strapped about the dog's neck (это = пластинка была приклепана к ошейнику, а /тот был/ застегнут на шее пса; to strap — стягивать ремнем). Then he was turned loose (затем его отвязали; to turn loose — спускать /животное/ с цепи; освобождать), and promptly he disappeared (и он сразу исчез). A day later came a telegram from Mendocino County (днем позже пришла телеграмма из округа Мендосино). In twenty hours he had made over a hundred miles to the north (за двадцать часов он преодолел сотню миль на север), and was still going when captured (и все еще бежал, когда его поймали).
To win him became a problem. Irvine liked problems. He had a metal plate made, on which was stamped: RETURN TO WALT IRVINE, GLEN ELLEN, SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. This was riveted to a collar and strapped about the dog's neck. Then he was turned loose, and promptly he disappeared. A day later came a telegram from Mendocino County. In twenty hours he had made over a hundred miles to the north, and was still going when captured.
He came back by Wells Fargo Express (он вернулся посредством /транспортной компании/ «Уэллс Фарго Экспресс»), was tied up three days (был привязан три дня), and was loosed on the fourth and lost (на четвертый день его отвязали, и он пропал: «был потерян»; to lose — терять). This time he gained southern Oregon (на этот раз он добрался до Орегона) before he was caught and returned (прежде чем его поймали и вернули: «был пойман и возвращен»). Always, as soon as he received his liberty (всегда, как только он получал свободу), he fled away, and always he fled north (он убегал, и всегда убегал на север; to flee away — убегать, спасаться бегством). He was possessed of an obsession (он был одержим навязчивой мыслью; possessed — одержимый чем-либо) that drove him north (которая гнала его на север; to drive — гнать). The homing instinct, Irvine called it («инстинктом возвращения домой» назвал это Ирвин), after he had expended the selling price
